STARS FAQs. Contents... 1 Accessing STARS... 3

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1 Contents STARS FAQs When viewing this job aid electronically, click within the Contents to advance to desired page. You can also press Ctrl+F (i.e. Find) to search by keyword. Contents Contents... 1 Accessing STARS... 3 How do I get to STARS?... 3 Where can I find STARS help?... 3 What if I get locked out of STARS?... 4 Will STARS time me out?... 4 What does STARS stand for?... 4 Usernames and Passwords (i.e. Credentials)... 4 Is my username my address?... 4 My username is spelled incorrectly, can you fix this?... 4 Where do I find my password?... 4 I forgot my password. What do I do?... 5 How do I change my password?... 5 Can passwords contain dictionary words?... 5 How often will my password expire?... 5 Why didn t I receive my credentials??... 5 NPR to STARS Transition... 5 When does SHIP NPR go away?... 5 Where can I find my SHIP NPR data after we transition to STARS?... 5 Can I enter activities into STARS that occurred before my STARS start date?... 5 General Forms Issues... 6 Why isn t the Zip Code populating the County field?... 6 What is the difference between the SHIP Reference Number and the SHIP Case Number?... 6 How do I track New Medicare Card as a topic discussed?... 6 What file types can be uploaded into STARS, and is there a size limit?... 6 How much space is available in the Notes fields?... 6 How do I know if my record has been saved?... 6 How do I edit a record after saving?... 6 How do I delete a record? /7/2018 1

2 Contents Are blank printable versions of the STARS forms available?... 7 Team Member Form... 7 I cannot see all of our team member forms. What do I do?... 7 What if I need to change a team member s organizational affiliation?... 7 Are addresses required on team member forms?... 7 Can a team member be aligned with more than one organization?... 7 If a team members does not enter data still need a team member profile? Medicare Unique IDs... 8 Who can create and manage Medicare Unique ID #s?... 8 Who can view a team member s Unique ID?... 8 When do we use the Unique ID in STARS?... 8 How do I manage Unique IDs in SHIP NPR after our STARS start date?... 8 Beneficiary Contact Form... 8 Why am I receiving an error to enter at least one topic on the Beneficiary Contact form when I have topics selected?... 8 Why isn t the Zip Code populating the County field?... 8 Are we required to track Original PDP/MA-PDP and New PDP/MA-PDP cost on the two designated Special Use Fields in the Beneficiary Contact Form?... 8 If the client is new to Medicare, what cost information do we enter in the Original PDP/MA-PDP Special Use Field?... 8 Will we be able to pull a report showing the amount of money our SHIP Counselors saved beneficiaries during open enrollment?... 9 If we conduct a plan finder comparison for someone, but they decide to enroll later, such as through Medicare, can we enter the cost information?... 9 Will ACL accept cost documentation with names blacked out?... 9 Can I add SHIP Additional Beneficiary Sessions to Beneficiary Contact Forms Entered by Others?... 9 What should I do when there are multiple beneficiary contacts on the same day?... 9 What if there are multiple beneficiary contacts on different days? What if fields I need aren t on the Additional Beneficiary Sessions (ABS) tab? If I am assigned a client, how do I find the history of contacts with other counselors? Group Outreach and Education Form How do you add another team member who assisted with the event? How do you record the name of the site where Group Outreach and Education occurred? How do we calculate time spent? What if the Target Population I want to enter is not available? Media Outreach and Education /7/2018 2

3 Accessing STARS How do you log multiple counties in a TV broadcast? Reports When will STARS report be available? Who will be able to access the STARS reports? What kinds of reports are available in STARS? Searches How can I see team members entered by others? How can I find records by their SHIP Case Number? When should I use the Search menu instead of a Tracking Inbox? Special Use Fields What should I track in Special Use Fields (SUFs)? Send to SMP MIPPA What does MIPPA stand for? When should I check Yes for MIPPA in the STARS forms? Where can I find more detailed guidance about MIPPA reporting in STARS? Technical Assistance and Training Accessing STARS How do I get to STARS? Answer: Go to (depicted below). We recommend you bookmark the STARS landing page for your convenience. Where can I find STARS help? Answer: The STARS home page contains links to STARS training materials, developed and/or housed by the SHIP TA Center and a link to the STARS help desk. You can contact the Booz Allen STARS Help Desk via at BoozAllenSTARSHelpDesk@bah.com or via telephone at (703) Please 8/7/2018 3

4 Usernames and Passwords (i.e. Credentials) provide the team with as much information as possible, such as Name, Address, STARS Username, Phone Number, and a description of any problems you are experiencing. What if I get locked out of STARS? Answer: After the STARS roll-out process is complete (October 1, 2018), user accounts will automatically be locked after 120 days of inactivity. Starting immediately, however, user accounts become locked after three unsuccessful login attempts. The Booz Allen Hamilton STARS Help Desk will be responsible for unlocking user accounts upon request. Please include your STARS Username and the Address associated with your STARS account. Will STARS time me out? Answer: After 25 minutes of inactivity on the screen, STARS provides a 5-minute warning and the opportunity to refresh your session. After 30 minutes of inactivity on the screen, your session will end automatically. What does STARS stand for? Answer: SHIP Tracking And Reporting System (STARS). It is a nationwide, web-based data system that facilitates reporting of SHIP activities to the federal government. STARS was developed and is owned by the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling (OHIC), which oversees and manages the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) nationally. Usernames and Passwords (i.e. Credentials) Is my username my address? Answer: No. Unlike SHIP NPR, STARS usernames are not addresses. Most users receive their username in an from DoNotReplyACLSystems@bah.com. You can contact the STARS help desk for assistance, if needed. My username is spelled incorrectly, can you fix this? Answer: STARS Usernames are created based on the First Name and Last Name entered during team member creation. They cannot be edited after they are created. Where do I find my password? Answer: Most users receive their password by from the sender DoNotReplyACLSystems@bah.com. Read the text of that carefully. The first you receive may contain instructions for resetting your password or it may contain a temporary password. If it is the former, follow the online prompts and you will receive an with instructions for resetting your password. If you don t receive the password or s, you can contact the STARS help desk for assistance. 8/7/2018 4

5 NPR to STARS Transition I forgot my password. What do I do? Answer: You can reset your password by following the Forgotten Username or Password link (accessed from the STARS login page). How do I change my password? Answer: In the upper left corner of your screen, click on My Account. Click on Password and follow the prompts. Can passwords contain dictionary words? Answer: Yes. Though passwords in SHIP NPR could not contain recognizable words, this is not the case in STARS. How often will my password expire? Answer: Beginning October 1, 2018, passwords will expire every 90 days. Why didn t I receive my credentials?? Answer: Credentials must be sent by the SHIP representative who created or updated your team member profile. If you believe your credentials were sent, please check all Spam and Junk folders to ensure the communication is not being intercepted. If you still have not received your credentials, please contact the Booz Allen STARS Help Desk for assistance. NPR to STARS Transition When does SHIP NPR go away? Answer: SHIP NPR will become read only on your program s STARS start date, and you will no longer be able to enter data into SHIP NPR at that time. On November 30, SHIP NPR will be turned off permanently. Where can I find my SHIP NPR data after we transition to STARS? Answer: The NPR data will be moved into STARS in November 2018 (formerly listed as October 2018, but the transfer date was moved back a month). NPR data will be moved to the state level in STARS, so only state-level users will be able to see and search this data. The Counselor field on NPR-transferred data will be blank in STARS. Counselor information will be saved in the 4th STARS Special Use Field in the transfer. The Agency name will be saved to the 5th STARS Special Use Field. o Note: Individual forms can be reassigned to STARS team members and sites by state level staff or Booz Allen Hamilton, if needed. Can I enter activities into STARS that occurred before my STARS start date? For example, if my STARS start date is July 1, can I enter activities that occurred in June? Answer: Yes, you can enter past activities into STARS, as long as those activities were not entered into NPR. 8/7/2018 5

6 General Forms Issues General Forms Issues Why isn t the Zip Code populating the County field? Answer: The Zip Code being used is not in the STARS database, likely because it is a P.O. Box or Unique Zip Code that was not included in the 2010 United States Census Bureau data. Please use the Standard Zip Code associated with your county. What is the difference between the SHIP Reference Number and the SHIP Case Number? Answer: They are synonymous. Inside the forms and inside the Search tool, the term used to identify this field is SHIP Reference Number. In the tracking inboxes and in the table displaying search tool results, the term used is SHIP Case Number. It appears as a column heading. Every Beneficiary Contact Form (BCF), Group Outreach and Education Form (GOE), and Media Outreach and Education Form (MOE) is assigned a unique number. Child objects i.e. SHIP Additional Beneficiary Sessions (BCF) and Additional Team Members (GOE and MOE) -- are not assigned this number. How do I track New Medicare Card as a topic discussed? Answer: New Medicare Card is an option in the Other Insurance topic category in the Beneficiary Contact Form. To track New Medicare Card as a topic discussed in the Group Outreach and Education or Media Outreach and Education forms, you will have to select Other in the Topics Discussed checklist, then enter New Medicare Card in a Special Use Field or in the Notes. Before you decide, review the Special Use Field guidance later in this document. What file types can be uploaded into STARS, and is there a size limit? Answer: The following file types are accepted in STARS: doc/docx; ppt/pptx; xls/xlx; pdf; rtf. The limit on file size uploads into STARS is 500MB per file. How much space is available in the Notes fields? Answer: Unlimited space. How do I know if my record has been saved? Answer: When you initially enter your data and press Save, STARS displays a Saving message specific to the form you are saving. Also, if your record displays a SHIP Reference Number, you know the record has been successfully created in STARS. o Note: This SHIP Reference Number is called the SHIP Case Number in the Tracking Inboxes and search results displays. How do I edit a record after saving? Answer: All STARS data entry fields are editable. Find the record you wish to edit in your Tracking Inbox (or you can use the Search menu, unless you are a STARS Submitter). Open the record, edit, then save. 8/7/2018 6

7 Team Member Form How do I delete a record? Answer: Only SHIP Directors and SHIP Assistant Directors can delete data in STARS. Are blank printable versions of the STARS forms available? Answer: Yes. Go to the STARS Landing Page and click on the first link under Need Help with STARS. Scroll down the page to find blank printable forms. Team Member Form I cannot see all of our team member forms. What do I do? Answer: You can see team members you entered in your SHIP Team Member Tracking Inbox. Use the Standard or Advanced search functionality to find and see all team members, including those entered by others. o Remember: You can only see team members at and below your level of the STARS hierarchy. For example, if you are at the State level, you can see all team members. If you are at the Sub-state level, you can see all team members at the Sub-state level and below. If you are at the Site level, you can only see team members at the Site level. o Note: Users with the STARS Submitter or Team Member user roles cannot see the team member forms. What if I need to change a team member s organizational affiliation? Answer: You should edit the team member profile to align that team member with a different organization within your state hierarchy. Their previously entered records will remain aligned with the previous organization. Records they enter after you change their organizational affiliation will be aligned with the new organization. Are addresses required on team member forms? Answer: No, the address field is not required; however, team members who will be sent credentials (necessary for accessing STARS to enter data) must have an address on their team member form. Team members who will not be entering data into STARS will not need an address on their team member form. Can a team member be aligned with more than one organization? Answer: No. Each team member is aligned with only one organization in the STARS hierarchy. If a team members does not enter data still need a team member profile? Answer: Yes, every team member needs a profile, even if someone else will be entering their activities into STARS. This is necessary for accurate reports. 8/7/2018 7

8 1-800-Medicare Unique IDs Medicare Unique IDs Who can create and manage Medicare Unique ID #s? Answer: SHIP Directors and SHIP Assistant Directors. Who can view a team member s Unique ID? Answer: Any role with the ability to view team members. When do we use the Unique ID in STARS? Answer: January 1, 2019 and beyond. Use the Unique IDs generated by SHIP NPR for the remainder of How do I manage Unique IDs in SHIP NPR after our STARS start date? Answer: The SHIP NPR help desk at TFI will help you. o shipnprhelp@technicalfrontiers.com o Call: , ext. #1 Beneficiary Contact Form Why am I receiving an error to enter at least one topic on the Beneficiary Contact form when I have topics selected? Answer: The Topics Discussed section on the Beneficiary Contact form contains a guidance message indicating you must select at least one topic; however, this guidance message will not prevent you from saving the record. If your record displays a SHIP Reference Number the record has been successfully created in STARS. Why isn t the Zip Code populating the County field? Answer: The Zip Code being used is not in the STARS database, likely because it is a P.O. Box or Unique Zip Code that was not included in the 2010 United States Census Bureau data. Please use the Standard Zip Code associated with your county. Are we required to track Original PDP/MA-PDP and New PDP/MA-PDP cost on the two designated Special Use Fields in the Beneficiary Contact Form? Answer: Tracking those costs is encouraged by ACL so they can better measure SHIP impact, but it is not required at this time. It should only be entered when the SHIP counselor assists with a PDP/MAPD application to enroll in a plan. If the client is new to Medicare, what cost information do we enter in the Original PDP/MA-PDP Special Use Field? Answer: Use the cost of Original Medicare, which is as if they had no coverage. 8/7/2018 8

9 Beneficiary Contact Form Will we be able to pull a report showing the amount of money our SHIP Counselors saved beneficiaries during open enrollment? Answer: You can use the Search menu to find that information. There isn t a report in the report menu at this time. If we conduct a plan finder comparison for someone, but they decide to enroll later, such as through Medicare, can we enter the cost information? Answer: No. You can only enter cost information if you help them enroll, not if they decide to enroll on their own at a later date or with help from another source, such as Medicare. Will ACL accept cost documentation with names blacked out? Answer: Yes, that is acceptable. Also, the beneficiary name is not a required field in STARS. You would be able to omit the beneficiary identity, if desired, by leaving both the name field blank and blocking out the name on any enrollment verification documentation you upload. Can I add SHIP Additional Beneficiary Sessions to Beneficiary Contact Forms Entered by Others? Answer: It depends upon your role. See the User Roles Overview handout on the STARS Resources page for an at-a-glance reference to the capabilities of each role. Roles that can edit data entered by others can add Additional Beneficiary Sessions (ABSs) to an existing Beneficiary Contact Form (BCF). If your role allows you to edit data entered by others, an additional criteria is that you can only view and edit data entered by others who are placed at or below your level on the hierarchy. For example, if you are a Site Manager, you will not be able to see data entered by users who are at the Sub-State or State level. Also, you will need to use the Search menu to find data entered by others. Your Tracking Inbox only displays data you entered. What should I do when there are multiple beneficiary contacts on the same day? Answer: A single counselor cannot submit multiple forms for the same beneficiary for the same date of contact. o If more than one session with the beneficiary occurs at your agency on the same day, they are considered as the same contact, and should not be counted as a multiple contact. If you have a second session with a beneficiary on the same date and have already entered in a form for the beneficiary (after the first session), you will need to look up the previously entered form and edit it to add the additional time spent and topics discussed in the second session. o If two or more separate counselors see the same beneficiary on the same day, each counselor should complete a separate beneficiary contact form for their separate contacts. 8/7/2018 9

10 Group Outreach and Education Form What if there are multiple beneficiary contacts on different days? Answer: Is the subsequent contact about a different issue? Enter a new Beneficiary Contact Form. Is the subsequent contact about a previous issue? Enter an Additional Beneficiary Session, which is a tab (i.e. child object ) attached to the previous Beneficiary Contact Form (BCF). o To track when a SHIP counselor interacts with a beneficiary (or representative) on multiple dates for the same issue, an Additional Beneficiary Session (ABS) should be entered as part of the initial BCF for each additional date. Tracking beneficiary contacts through ABSs helps demonstrate the complex nature of issues beneficiaries and representatives need help with. o Note: Additional Beneficiary Sessions (ABS) count toward the relevant Performance Measures in addition to the data entered in the initial associated BCF. The added benefit of ABSs is to track follow up interactions with a beneficiary/representative to ease record keeping and demonstrate the complexity of Medicare issues beneficiaries and representatives need help with. However, if a new BCF is entered instead of an ABS, it will not negatively affect the Performance Measures Report. What if fields I need aren t on the Additional Beneficiary Sessions (ABS) tab? Answer: o Beneficiary demographic information does not appear on the ABS, but the demographics entered on the Beneficiary Contact Form (BCF) are considered to be relevant for all associated ABSs. Edit the demographic information on the BCF, when applicable. o Send to SMP and MIPPA fields do not currently appear on the ABS. They will be added in a 2019 enhancement. Meanwhile, enter a new BCF if the case evolves into an SMP or MIPPA issue. o Part D cost SUF fields (Original PDP/MA-PDP and New PDP/MA-PDP) do not appear on the ABS. They will be added in a 2019 enhancement. Meanwhile, enter a new BCF if the case evolves into helping a client with enrollment. o Status does not appear on the ABS. Until there s an enhancement, edit the status on the associated BCF when a case status changes from In Progress to Completed. If I am assigned a client, how do I find the history of contacts with other counselors? Answer: You will need to use the Search menu and conduct a Standard Search, such as by last name. Also, if the history was recorded in NPR, click here for more details. Group Outreach and Education Form How do you add another team member who assisted with the event? Answer: After you have entered the event and saved it, click the Additional Team Members tab and complete the resulting form. 8/7/

11 Media Outreach and Education How do you record the name of the site where Group Outreach and Education occurred? Answer: STARS will populate the "Partner Organization Affiliation" based upon the "Session Conducted By" field after you have saved the form; however, the presenter's Partner Organization Affiliation may or may not align with the site where the presentation occurred. For example, if someone from the state or region presents at a local site, their state or regional Partner Organization Affiliation will populate the saved form. Here are some options that would create more consistent "site" tracking, if desired: o You could request that team members always enter the site name as part of the Title of Interaction, such as Site Name: Welcome to Medicare. o You could designate one of the Special Use Fields (SUFs) for the site name, although you would need to coordinate statewide when selecting the SUF. Designating an SUF and adhering to it will be necessary for accurate searches. Check with your SHIP director. o You could enter the site name in the notes, but this is not as optimal from a search standpoint. How do we calculate time spent? Answer: Count time spent preparing for the event (creating, practicing, or updating presentations; copying materials; organizing; etc.), travel time (to and from the event), and time spent attending the event. When an event involves multiple team members, enter the full amount of time each team member spent using the Additional Team Member tab connected to the saved Group Outreach and Education Form. What if the Target Population I want to enter is not available? Answer: Target population selections were created based on the hard-to-reach populations ACL and CMS have historically been interested in (and which our grants ask us to target). If you have targeted outreach to a hard-to-reach population that is not listed on the form select Other and capture details in the Notes box. White/Caucasian is not considered hard-to-reach and is not a focus of targeted outreach. If your outreach and education event was not targeted to a hard-to-reach population, select N/A. Media Outreach and Education How do you log multiple counties in a TV broadcast? Answer: Though you must enter only one zip code, you can indicate multiple counties for your media outreach in the Geographic Coverage field. County or Counties is one of the options, as well as Regional, Statewide, and others. The Media Outreach and Education (MOE) Form and Group Outreach and Education (GOE) Form functionality is similar. The preceding GOE FAQs also apply to the MOE Form. 8/7/

12 Reports Reports When will STARS report be available? Answer: The STARS reports will be available around the end of August Who will be able to access the STARS reports? Answer: All STARS users with the exception of users with the STARS Submitter role and the Team Member role. What kinds of reports are available in STARS? Answer: Performance Measures Report, Resource Report, and Unique ID Report. The STARS Search menu also allows users to get out what they put in. Conduct a search to access and view all data available to your role, based on your selected criteria. Note: STARS Submitters do not have the Search menu and must use the tracking inboxes to view and sort data they entered or data listing them for Session Conducted By. Searches How can I see team members entered by others? Answer (see Team Member category) How can I find records by their SHIP Case Number? Answer: In STARS, SHIP Reference Number is synonymous with SHIP Case Number. Look for the term SHIP Reference Number when viewing individual forms or field options in the search tools. Look for the term SHIP Case Number when viewing column headings in tracking inboxes or search results. When should I use the Search menu instead of a Tracking Inbox? Answer: The Tracking Inboxes contain all records you have entered, which are sortable by clicking on the column headings. The Search menu allows you to see your records and also records entered by others that are visible to your role. You must select your criteria, then STARS will display a smaller subset of records. The results are displayed in a table similar in appearance and functionality to the Tracking Inboxes. o Note: STARS Submitters do not have the Search tool. They must use their Tracking Inboxes to find data already entered. Special Use Fields What should I track in Special Use Fields (SUFs)? Answer: What to track in the non-designated Special Use Fields (SUFs) is a state-level decision. Check with your SHIP leaders to find out if the non-designated SUFs will be used to systematically track state-specific information. When it comes to finding data later, there is an advantage to using SUFs instead of Notes fields to systematically track state-specific data. SUFs are relatively confined, whereas Notes fields are very broad. 8/7/

13 Send to SMP Conducting a search for information contained in a SUF will yield better and quicker results than conducting a search for information contained in Notes fields. Send to SMP o Note: More information about the designated SUFs on the Beneficiary Contact Form are addressed under the Beneficiary Contact Form heading in this document. FAQs on the Send to SMP functionality is coming soon. MIPPA What does MIPPA stand for? Answer: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act. When should I check Yes for MIPPA in the STARS forms? Answer: When you are entering contacts or events that included MIPPA counseling, outreach, or education. Where can I find more detailed guidance about MIPPA reporting in STARS? Answer: See the definitions documents for each of the STARS forms. They are standalone documents and are also appendices to the Beneficiary Contact, Group Outreach and Education, and Media Outreach and Education job aids. Technical Assistance and Training Where you should go for individual technical assistance will vary, depending upon your issue or need. Here is a decision-making guide. Your SHIP program leaders: Data reporting processes vary by SHIP. For questions about how STARS is being managed by the SHIP in your area, contact your supervisor or leadership for your SHIP program. Booz Allen Hamilton (a.k.a. Booz Allen ): For technical assistance, such as for difficulties with usernames and passwords, contact the Booz Allen STARS help desk at boozallenstarshelpdesk@bah.com or SHIP National Technical Assistance Center (SHIP TA Center): The SHIP TA Center provides webinar training, technical assistance, and written instructions on STARS. 8/7/

14 Technical Assistance and Training o STARS Resources page: Links to SHIP TA Center and ACL STARS resources are available to all STARS users on the STARS landing page. There are job aids, tip sheets, PowerPoints, webinar recordings, and printable forms. Follow the first link under Need Help with STARS? on the STARS landing page. o Webinar announcements: During the STARS launch (March October 2018), all live webinars are announced only to SHIP directors and SHIP administrators, who must forward registration information to their other team members. Webinars are recorded and the recordings are available to anyone with the STARS landing page link. o For questions about these steps or other STARS support resources, contact the SHIP TA Center, stars@shiptacenter.org, , ACL: Oversees the development and national implementation of STARS. ACL subject matter experts are presenters for many of the 2018 STARS webinar trainings. SHIP directors can contact their program s ACL project officer, as needed. The production of this job aid was supported by Grant Number 90SATC0001 from the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Though its contents were developed in cooperation with ACL, this document is solely the responsibility of the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center. 8/7/